


Covenant

by Electrons



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Attempted Murder, Bending Element Swap (Avatar), Gen, Healer Zuko (Avatar), Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-02
Updated: 2020-12-04
Packaged: 2021-03-07 17:21:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 16,123
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26771356
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Electrons/pseuds/Electrons
Summary: The blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb. Katara is a Firebender, due to a tragic incident before her birth. Yet, she is Water Tribe through and through. Zuko is a Waterbender, due to his maternal lineage as a descendent of the Avatar. Yet, he is loyal to the Fire Nation. Despite the gifts they are born with, each of them makes their own choice as to their values and allegiances.
Relationships: Hakoda/Kya (Avatar), Iroh/Piandao (Avatar)
Comments: 196
Kudos: 220





	1. Hereditary

**Author's Note:**

> This is an element swap fic, but it's just Katara and Zuko. Everyone else bends (or doesn't bend) their elements from the show.

Katara woke up early and shivered. The fire had gone out. Her family was huddled up under their sleeping furs, but she was still cold. She wanted the fire back. The toddler squirmed out of the pile of bodies and crawled over to the firepit.

Only once Katara had reached the firepit did it occur to the five year old that she had no way of starting a fire. Out from under the furs, Katara was colder than ever. She clutched her arms and shivered. She reached for the firepit, hoping there was still some warmth inside. She reached out for the heat.

A fire sprang to life inside the pit. Katara's mouth dropped open in surprise. She giggled with delight and moved closer to the fire. She held out her hands and felt the warmth.

Katara wanted to share her joy. She crawled back over to the furs and started to shake her older brother. "Sokka," she whisper-shouted. "Wake up."

"Ugh, go away."

"Look what I can do, Sokka. It's magic!"

Kya opened her eyes and yawned. She sat up and stretched, raising her arms above her head. Katara heard her joints popping. "What's the matter, dear? Do you need to make water?"

"No! I can do magic. Look!" Katara thought about that warm feeling again and held out her hands. They filled with flame.

Kya shrieked and scrambled back. She pressed herself against the wall of the igloo. She stared at Katara with wide eyes. Her breathing became rapid.

Katara frowned without comprehension as Kanna and Hakoda were awoken by Kya's distress. "Wha-" Hakoda's exclamation stopped when he saw Katara. He just stared at her. "Katara…"

"What's wrong," Katara said in a confused whisper. "You don't like my magic trick?"

"She's a Firebender," Kanna whispered.

Sokka blinked at his sister. "Katara can't be a Firebender," he complained. "Firebenders come from the Fire Nation."

Kya buried her face in her hands. "I really thought… I was so sure… I was just deluding myself. I'm so sorry, Hakoda."

Katara's lip started to tremble and her fire went out. "Did I do something wrong?"

Hakoda moved closer and put a hand on Katara's shoulder. "No," he said in a firm but gentle voice. "You didn't do anything wrong, sweetheart. I'm sorry if we frightened you. We were just surprised."

"I lit the fire," Katara explained. "I was cold."

"Thank you, Love," Hakoda said. "Thank you for making us all warm."

"Hakoda," Kanna said. "She's a-"

"You did a great job," Kya cut her mother-in-law off. She crawled over to Katara and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "I love you."

"Something's wrong," Katara said.

"No, nothing's wrong," Hakoda insisted.

For the first time in her life, Katara suspected that her father was lying.

…

Zuko kicked his legs and sighed. His dad was angry with him again because he still hadn't started firebending yet. Zuko rubbed his bruised wrist and sighed. He wanted to play with his baby sister, but she was still sick.

Zuko wanted Azula's stupid fever to go away, but Mother said that would take time. Zuko didn't want to wait. He wished he could at least see Azula, but Mother said it wasn't safe. Zuko wasn't afraid of a stupid fever.

Filled with sudden resolve, Zuko hopped down from the tree. He snuck down the corridors to the sickroom. He waited for the Royal Physician to leave to get something. He had almost given up from boredom when he saw his opportunity at last.

The six year old girl was whimpering in her sleep, sweat pouring down her face. Zuko frowned. His sister was in pain. He didn't want her to be in pain. Zuko saw a bowl of water on a nearby table with a rag in it.

Zuko remembered how when he was sick Mother would put cold cloths on his forehead. He went over to the table and rung out the rag. He took the wet cloth and went over to Azula to put it on her head. She whimpered, and Zuko flinched. He really wanted her to feel better.

Zuko's wet hands began to glow blue. Zuko stared at the light, transfixed. "Wow," he whispered.

Azula opened her eyes. "Zuzu," she whispered.

Zuko took the cloth away. "Hey, Azula. How do you feel?"

"You aren't supposed to be in here," Azula accused. "Dad will yell at you."

"Shh," Zuko said. "Our secret."

"Hmm," Azula said. She closed her eyes. "Stay with me, okay?"

"Okay," Zuko said. He touched her forehead again. It wasn't warm anymore. "Do you want me to get Mom?"

Azula didn't answer. She was asleep. Zuko put the rag back in the bowl of water and ran to get his mother. She smiled when she saw him, but when he began to babble in his excitement, her smile slipped away. The light in her eyes dimmed, and her hands shook.

"Are you okay, Mom?"

"Zuko, did I ever tell you about my great-grandfather?"

Zuko frowned and shook his head. "No, but you can tell me later. You need to come see Azula. She isn't hot anymore. It's great!"

"We will go see her," Ursa assured him. "First though, you have to listen to a story, and then you have to make me a promise. You see Zuko, sometimes, descendents of the Avatar don't bend the same elements as their parents."

"The Avatar?"

"Yes. He was my great-grandfather."

…

Hakoda ran through the tundra with his heart in his throat. Panic flooded his veins. She could have gone in any direction. There was no way to- Hakoda blinked.

A short distance away, Hakoda saw a flicker of orange light. Hakoda felt the fist around his heart relax a bit. Hakoda trudged in the direction of the light. A small ice cave was the source of the light.

Hakoda knelt in front of the entrance. "Katara?"

Hakoda heard a sniffle. "What?"

"It's cold out here." He wasn't wrong. The wind was picking up. "Can I come in?" He wasn't even sure if there was room.

Katara hesitated. "Okay," she whispered.

Hakoda crawled into the cave. It was just big enough for the two of them. Katara's face was covered in snot and tears, and she was holding a fire in her hands to keep herself warm. Once he was inside, Hakoda could feel the warmth as well. The ache in his numbing extremities started to subside.

Katara huddled over the flame. Hakoda realized she wasn't doing that just because she was cold. She was trying to shield it from his view. She was ashamed of the fire.

"Katara, we were so worried. Your brother said you ran off. We couldn't find you anywhere. Your mother and grandmother are pani-"

"She's not my grandmother," Katara muttered.

Hakoda stilled. "What do you mean?"

"Paruk said that you're not my real dad, so she's not my real grandmother. He said that I'm a bastard-"

"That's not a nice word," Hakoda interrupted.

Katara forged ahead. "He said that my real dad is from the Fire Nation. He said I'm not really Water Tribe, and that my real father is a monster, and I'm a monster, and-"

"Katara," Hakoda cut her off. She was shaking with emotion. The tears were flowing again. With the cave so small, they were already squished together, but Hakoda put his arm over her shoulders and pulled her even closer.

She gasped. "Be careful! You could get burned." The fire in her hands shrunk.

Hakoda looked at it. It was such a little thing, shrunk down to the size of a candle flame. It was bright though. It illuminated the whole cave. It was beautiful.

Hakoda pulled her even closer. He placed his chin on top of her head. "Listen to me, Katara. I am your father."

"Then why am I a Firebender," Katara asked. She was all but begging. Her voice trembled. Hakoda felt rage build in him that such anguish should be felt by a seven year old. He crushed the anger. It wouldn't help Katara.

"It's… difficult to explain," Hakoda said. He looked at his large hand, resting against her tiny arm. "Every family is different. We have five people in our family, you, me, Sokka, Mom and Gran-Gran. Some families have more people. Some have less."

"Some families have two moms or two dads instead of a mom and a dad," Katara added.

"Exactly," Hakoda agreed. "There's a lot of ways a family can be shaped. Not every family member is always related by blood either. Your mom and Gran-Gran aren't related, but they love each other."

"So I'm not really your daughter," Katara whispered. "You just keep me around because you love Mom."

"No," Hakoda said, firm. "You are my daughter, and I love you. Do you think, if something happened to me, that your mother would kick Gran-Gran out of the igloo? Gran-Gran is your mom's mother now too, as much as she is mine."

Katara was quiet as she considered Hakoda's words. Hakoda waited for her to be ready to speak. He wished he was doing a better job. He wished he had prepared a speech. Hakoda watched her fire. It looked a little bit bigger.

"So then… I'm Water Tribe?"

"As Water Tribe as they come," he assured her. A dark voice in the back of his mind asked him if he would still say that if she'd been born pale with yellow eyes. Hakoda strangled that voice. It didn't matter.

"But what if… What if one day I do something bad? What if I become bad like the Fire Nation? What if I burn someone or steal something or- or-"

"You won't," Hakoda said. "That won't happen."

"But what if it does?!"

Hakoda took a deep breath. "Then it would be because you chose to do something bad, not because something inside of you forced you to do something bad. No one is born good or bad. We simply make good or bad choices. You have wonderful influences in your life like your mom and Gran-Gran, so I know you'll make good choices."

"What will you do if I make bad choices," Katara whispered. "Will you kill me?"

Hakoda froze. "What?"

"Paruk said that's what you should have done when you found out I was a Firebender."

"Paruk is a little shithead," Hakoda mumbled without thinking.

Katara gasped. "That's not a nice word!"

Hakoda flinched. "It's not," he agreed. "You shouldn't use it, and please don't tell Gran-Gran I did. She'll wash my mouth out with soap."

Katara giggled, even as tears continued to roll down her face. "I won't tell her," she promised.

Hakoda wiped the tears from her right cheek. "If you ever did something bad, if you hurt someone, I would be disappointed in you. I would ask you why you did it, and we would talk about it. I would still love you though, and I will never, ever, for any reason, hurt you, Katara."

"Promise?"

Hakoda pressed a kiss to the top of her head and thought about what a screwed up world it was, where seven year olds asked their fathers to promise not to kill them. "I will never hurt you, Katara. I will never allow anyone to hurt you. I promise."

She cuddled closer to him. Her fire was still in her hands, but it didn't burn him. "I love you, Dad."

"I love you too, Sweetheart."

The wind howled outside, but they stayed safe in their cave. Katara's flame kept the chill at bay. Hakoda held her close and swore to himself that he would always protect her from harm, physical or emotional. He began to sing one of the old stories. She listened until sleep claimed her, and the flame quietly flickered away.

Hakoda bundled her into his arms and carried her back to the village.


	2. Burn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Katara protects and Zuko heals

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: sexism and sexual violence come up a few times in this chapter.

Black snow fell from the sky. Katara looked up. Her eyes snapped over to her brother. "I'm going to find Mom!" She didn't wait for a response. She ran.

She worked her short legs as hard as she could until she made it home. Her mother pulled her into the igloo and into her arms. She instructed Katara to lie on the ground and began to cover her with furs. "What about you," Katara demanded.

"I'm going to look for your brother."

"He was outside," Katara said with dawning horror. "I left him! I shouldn't have-"

"Shhhh," Kya cut her off. "Just be quiet, okay? It's like a game, a fun game. Lie still and don't make a sound. I'll be back."

Katara was encased in fur. She couldn't see out from under the pile. She couldn't see her mother. She could hear though.

Katara heard footsteps, heavy footsteps, like metal encased boots breaking through the icy crust of the ground. "What do we have here?"

"Please," Katara heard her mother say. "I'm no threat to you. Please don't hurt me."

Katara felt her heart stop. She needed to see what was happening, but she couldn't. She was suffocating under a pile of furs and helplessness. Tears burned her eyes.

"We're looking for Waterbenders."

"There are no more Waterbenders. You took them all away."

"Hmm… Well, once you're burnt to a crisp, my commanding officer will have no way of telling whether you were a Waterbender or not. I'll just tell him that you attacked me with icicles or something."

"Please," Kya begged. Her voice was shaking. "Please, you don't need to hurt me."

"Need? No. Want? Yes."

Katara struggled to push the furs away. She couldn't let this man hurt her mother. She had to do something. A reinbeardeer pelt slid away and Katara popped out of the pile of fur. Katara was just in time to see a stream of flame, more fire than she had ever seen before, headed straight for her mother's arms, which she had thrown up to shield her face.

Katara reached out for the fire. She felt the heat and the power. It was a lot; it was too much. She seized the energy and dissipated it, spreading the warmth throughout the igloo.

Kya lowered her arms, unburnt. She didn't look relieved. She looked horrified. "Katara, run!"

The soldier, huge and imposing, glared at Katara. "Hello, little spark." He stepped forward and reached for her. "You're coming with me."

Kya lunged at the man while his focus was shifted. A carving knife was in her hand, but she didn't use it to shape wood. She thrust the blade into the man's throat. Blood shot out of his neck, covering both Kya and Katara.

Katara screamed and then started to cry. The body fell to the ground, staining the furs under their feet red. Blood continued to leak out. Katara screamed louder.

Kya got to her knees and pulled Katara into her arms, pressing Katara's face into her chest. "Shhhh, Little One. Please, My Love, please be quiet. They can't hear us."

Katara trembled, but she tried not to make any additional noise. She wrapped her arms around her mother's waist. She let the tears flow while she focused on holding in the sobs and shouts. She kept quiet.

Katara couldn't be sure how much time had passed, but at one point someone ran into the igloo. Katara held tighter to her mother. "Mom!" Another child was added to their hug.

Katara twisted so that she could see her brother. "Sokka, are you okay?"

He nodded. "Are you?"

Hakoda entered the tent. Katara knew they were safe with him present. She allowed the sobs to come. Hakoda knelt onto the ground and drew all three of them into his arms.

"Where's Gran-Gran," Katara asked.

"She's with the healer, helping treat the injured," Hakoda said. "She's alright."

Everyone was safe. Katara was sticky with blood, but everyone was safe. She leaned her head against her father's chest and grabbed her brother's hand. They were safe, and that was enough.

…

"Azula, demonstrate your forms for Firelord Azulon," Ozai commanded.

Zuko flinched. He didn't dare so much as sneak a glance at his father. Ozai was unaware of Zuko's waterbending, but he, and everyone else, knew that Zuko would never be a Firebender. If he hadn't started bending by ten, it was almost certain that he was a non-bender, but even that was preferable to being a Waterbender. Zuko knew he was a disappointment to his father, and that was why Ozai ignored him and focused on Azula.

"Excellent, Azula," Ozai said after Azula completed her forms. "Very good."

"Can I show some of the forms I've been learning with Master Piandoa," Zuko piped up.

Zuko glanced at his mother and saw her bite her lip. Her eyes were full of fear. Zuko dared to peek at his father. His frown was severe, and his eyes were hard. Zuko felt his mouth go dry.

"Firelord Azulon's time is valuable," Ozai said. "You will not waste his time with your ridiculous knife tricks."

"This whole display is a waste of my time," Azulon said from his flaming throne. "Prince Ozai, your family is dismissed. Tell me plainly what you want, and then get out of my sight."

Ursa stood and bowed to the Firelord. Zuko and Azula copied her. They all turned to leave, but as they approached the door, Azula grabbed Zuko's wrist and yanked him behind a tapestry. "What are you-?"

"Shhhh," Azula hissed in his ear. Her fingers tightened around his wrist, scorching his skin. Zuko closed his eyes and willed himself to suffer the pain in silence. He thought about the cool water waiting in his room that he could use to heal himself. Even though each healed injury broke his promise to his mother, it was better than telling her what Ozai and Azula did to him.

"Why do you try my patience," Azulon demanded.

"Father, with Lu Ten's tragic passing, Iroh's line is ended. He cannot pass on the role of Firelord. I have two healthy children-"

"A non-bender and a girl," Azulon scoffed. "I have seen them."

"There is no prohibition preventing girls from inheriting the throne," Ozai reminded Azulon.

"Girls are fragile. A Firelord that could be lost in a birthing bed gives no stability to our nation, and our nation needs stability."

"My wife is still young," Ozai continued. "You've seen what Azula is capable of. Ursa can give me another son, one that is a powerful bender-"

"Then maybe I should give her to Iroh so that she can give him another heir," Azulon mocked. "Do you think there is any shortage of young fertile women eager to bind themselves to the Crown Prince? Consider how many ambitious young ladies of the nobility would give almost anything to not only become the future Fire Lady, but also have a decent chance of living to see their son become Firelord. Your reasoning is ridiculous, and your presumption is offensive."

Ozai bowed his head. Zuko had never seen his father humbled before. The sight made him uncomfortable. "I will leave you, Father."

"I have not given you permission to do so," Azulon said. The flames around the throne grew in height. Several licks of fire turned white, and Zuko thought he even saw a splash of blue. "Iroh has suffered enough, but you, your suffering has only begun."

The heat in the room became unbearable. Zuko fled. He ran until he got to his room. Zuko dunked his arm into a pitcher of water and focused on healing his wrist. Tears fell from his eyes into the water, but Zuko pretended they didn't exist. Princes weren't supposed to cry.

Once Zuko's wrist was healed, he changed out of his wet clothes and into something for sleeping. He crawled into bed. He thought about Lu Ten. It still didn't feel real that his cousin wasn't coming back. He stared at the swords on his wall and then screwed his eyes shut. He ran through swordsmanship forms in his head until he was able to fall asleep.

…

The new moon was out, and Katara had to make water. Katara held a flame in her hand to light her way. She released her bladder, washed her hands and then headed back to the igloo. She relit her flame.

Katara heard moans of pain and froze. She looked around for the source and then saw light spilling from the birthing hut. Katara relaxed her tense shoulders. Gran-Gran had explained to her once that life was such a precious gift that the spirits demanded a sacrifice for it. Mothers had to experience pain to bring their children into the world.

Katara had asked what fathers had to sacrifice and learned that the answer was: not very much. Katara had protested the disparity with great volume while Sokka had laughed. Father had agreed with her though. He'd told her he was proud of her for her strong sense of justice.

Katara smiled at the memory and then shivered at the cold. A stray wind made her fire flicker, but it didn't go out. Ever since Katara had saved her mother's life with firebending almost a year ago, she had been determined to become a better Firebender. She practiced every day, trying to become more controlled and stronger.

She focused on the flame, keeping it steady. She didn't let it shrink or grow. She just kept it consistent. The fires in their home never crossed the boundary of the firepit. She made them warmer and brighter, but never bigger, keeping everyone safe and comfortable.

Katara smiled at this memory too. Her mother often kissed her head and thanked her. Her father praised her hard work. Even Sokka sighed with contentment that they had the warmest igloo in the tribe. Gran-Gran sometimes pursed her lips and was silent, but she never said anything bad.

The sounds from the birthing hut stopped. A moment later, Katara heard a baby begin to wail. Katara smiled. New life had come to their tribe. Katara closed her eyes and whispered the prayer of thanks Gran-Gran had taught her.

When Katara opened her eyes, she saw a dark figure emerge from the hut, carrying a bundle. The bundle was crying. Katara frowned. The baby should be with the mother, drinking its first taste of life.

Katara knew that some mothers had trouble feeding at first, and the baby had to get its first taste of life from another new mother. Sometimes mothers couldn't feed at all, or worse, died. Katara felt a deep sense of unease. The dark figure was headed away from the village, not towards the home of any of the Tribe's nursing mothers.

Katara followed the dark figure. She dimmed her flame so that it provided enough light to illuminate her steps, but not enough for the dark figure to notice her. The figure came to a small stream. The figure knelt down in front of the stream and held the bundle out.

"Stop!" Katara ran forward. Her heart was in her throat, and her blood was pounding in her ears. Panic writhed in her guts.

The figure was startled and dropped the baby into the water. The figure turned to face her, and Katara saw an Elder of their tribe whose youngest daughter Katara knew was pregnant. The Elder made no move to pick up the baby. Katara lunged forward to remove the baby from the water.

"Don't bother," the Elder ordered Katara.

Katara ignored the Elder. She pulled the small creature from the water. He was naked and pink, but he was turning as white as the snow in the cold. He didn't move or cry.

Katara cried for both of them. She put her hand on the baby's chest and pushed warmth into him, but it wasn't enough. She knew it wasn't enough. She felt that there was something missing in the baby, a fire that was supposed to be there and had gone out.

"Stop it Katara!" The Elder sounded angry. "It has yellow eyes!"

Katara stared at the Elder in disbelief. "He's a part of our Tribe! You had no right!" She shook with rage and grief.

"Those monsters raped my daughter! Why should she and her husband have to raise their disgusting demon offspring?! If Hakoda wants to keep a reminder of his wife's shame in his home, that's his prerogative. The rest of us can't be expected to do the same!"

Katara held the baby close to her chest. She looked at him. He was too pale, both from the cold and in the sense that his skin was the wrong color. His eyes were a dim yellow, like amber.

Katara put her hand on the baby's chest. She put her anger to the side for a moment, so that she could feel love for the newest member of their tribe and sorrow for his passing. She tried to remember the proper prayer. Sparks lit up her hand and his chest. The baby opened its mouth and wailed.

Katara gasped with shock, relief and joy. She hugged the baby to her chest. She sobbed with him. "He's alive!"

"Not for long. Give it here." The Elder held out her hands expectantly.

Katara hugged the baby tighter and turned away from her. "No!"

"I am your Elder! Give it here! Now!"

"No! I won't let you!"

The Elder grabbed her hair and yanked Katara back to face her. Tears welled in Katara's eyes from the pain. Katara knew that at nine years old, it wasn't her place to question an Elder. She also knew that this baby was of her Tribe and she had to defend him no matter what.

"Give it to me!"

"Stop it! Dad! Mom!"

"Quit being such an insufferable brat and hand it to me now!"

"What is going on here?!" Katara heard her father shout in a voice that was almost a roar. She had never heard him sound that angry before in her entire life. She cowered in the snow. "What are you doing to my daughter?!"

Katara, still clutching the baby, stood up and turned to face her father. She ran to him, and he pulled her into his arms without hesitation. He picked her up, and the baby squirmed between their chests, still crying. "Don't let her kill him, Dad," Katara begged.

"It's going to be okay, Katara," he promised. She believed him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thoughts? Is this too dark? Does any of it feel OOC or unreasonable. Lemme know.


	3. Midnight Sun

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Children are terrible at understanding adult situations and also need at least eight hours of sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING for children being disgusting as children often are (source: used to be a caretaker for children) and saying inappropriate things without understanding why they shouldn't.
> 
> I wrote an outline for this. So it's a real fic now. It has an ending and everything. I may never get to the ending, but it exists.

Katara sat in front of the fire, holding the squirming baby. Sokka stared at the baby as if he'd never seen one before. "It's weird," he declared. "Where'd you get it?"

Kya pulled her parka on. "I'll go ask Torra if she'll come over and nurse. He needs to eat."

"I doubt Torra will want to make her son a bastard's milk brother," Kanna told Kya. She looked at the baby with a troubled expression. "A fire bastard, no less."

Kya scowled at her. "He'll starve if he doesn't eat. Somebody needs to feed him."

"Why is that Torra's problem?" Kanna looked at the baby. "What were you thinking, Katara?"

Katara frowned at her grandmother. "I had to protect him. He's part of our Tribe."

Kya frowned at the interaction. "I'll be right back," she told everyone. "Be good for your grandmother, children." She glanced at Kanna. "I'll be right back," she reiterated for some reason. Katara wasn't sure why.

Sokka went over to Katara and stared at the baby. "Why are babies so small," he asked his grandmother.

"Get away from it, Sokka," Kanna insisted.

"Him," Katara said. "He's a boy."

"Is his pee-pee going to get bigger?"

"Gross!" Katara's hands were full, so she kicked Sokka in the knee. She couldn't put much force into the kick, because she was sitting down. That was fine, as she didn't want to hurt her brother. She just wished boys weren't so disgusting.

"Sokka!" Kanna looked at Sokka with clear disapproval. "That's entirely inappropriate!"

"What?! It's so little. Mine isn't that little."

"Gran-Gran! Make Sokka stop being gross!"

The baby reacted to the loud voices and started crying again. Katara sighed in exasperation and started rocking him in her arms the way she'd seen mothers in the village do before. "Look what you did," she snapped at Sokka. "You upset him."

"Sorry," Sokka said. He held out his arms. "Here, let me hold him," he offered in an attempt to mollify her.

"No," Kanna said. "Don't touch it."

"Why not," Sokka whined. "Katara gets to hold it-"

"Him," Katara insisted again, louder since no one seemed to have heard her the first time. "He's not an it."

"Why can't I hold him," Sokka asked.

"Let's just sit quietly and wait for your mother to get back," Kanna suggested.

The baby kept crying, and Katara tried to recall one of her mother's lullabies. "Do you remember that story dad always sings," Katara asked Sokka.

"Oh, yeah!" Sokka sat up straight. He crossed his legs and held his ankles. He took a deep breath. "Ohhhh, night, that never ends. Ohhhh, sky, that's never bright."

The baby stopped crying, but Katara couldn't be sure if that was because of Sokka's song or the child's own exhaustion. Sokka kept singing either way. "Ohhhh, warmth, that love sends. Ohhhh, sun, that brings light."

Katara held the baby close. "Midnight Sun, bring us life. Midnight Sun, banish strife." Sokka frowned. "Do you remember the next line?"

Katara looked down at the child asleep in her arms. She felt tears burn her eyes. She held the baby closer to her chest and started to sob. "What's going to happen to him?"

Kanna frowned. "Everything is going to be okay, Katara."

Katara shook her head. "Who's going to take care of him? Who's going to love him?" She looked at her grandmother. "His Gran-Gran tried to kill him," she whispered.

Kanna sighed. "It's not her fault. It isn't easy to love something that comes from the pain and humiliation of your child. We can't judge her."

Katara stared at Kanna. "Do you love me," she begged.

Sokka interrupted before Kanna could answer. "Of course Gran-Gran loves you! She loves us lots!"

Katara kept staring at Kanna. "I want her to say it," she muttered.

Kanna looked deep into Katara's eyes. "You are my granddaughter, and I love you."

Katara looked down at the baby. "Then why can't his grandmother love him?"

"When you're older, you'll understand," Kanna insisted.

Katara wasn't sure about that.

…

Zuko dreamed about Master Piandoa's manor. He sparred with Lu Ten while Master Piandoa and Uncle Iroh observed, enjoying a fine lunch at the same time. Lu Ten kept his movements slow, allowing his cousin to see what moves he was making and block them. "You're going easy on me," Zuko complained in the dream that was a memory.

"I'm helping you learn, so that I'll have a more skilled opponent to practice with later." Lu Ten grinned at Zuko, just as he had years ago.

The memory was a happy one, so Zuko couldn't remember why he was so sad. "Are you going to go away?" He hadn't said that in real life, so his memory of Lu Ten didn't have an answer for him.

"Zuko," someone whispered from far away. "Zuko, wake up."

Zuko opened his eyes and saw his mother leaning over him, wearing a thick dark grey coat. No light came through his window during the new moon, and her expression was hidden in shadow. "Mom," Zuko whispered, still half-asleep.

"Shhhh," she whispered. She put her fingers to her lips. "Get up." She held up a cloak for him to put on. "We're going on an adventure."

"But I'm tired," Zuko complained.

"It's an errand for your father," Ursa explained.

Zuko shot out of bed and slipped into the cloak. "Where-"

She put her finger against his lips. "There isn't a lot of time. We need to hurry. Follow me."

Ursa took Zuko's hand, and they left the room in complete silence. Ursa led Zuko to a part of the palace he'd never seen before. There wasn't any decoration on the walls and there weren't any statues in the hall. Their surroundings were plain and unadorned.

Ursa led Zuko into a room and then lifted a grate off the floor. She exposed a fast current of water. Ursa took a deep breath. "Okay, Zuko, I need you to bend us a path through this water so that we can go through here."

Zuko stared at his mother with wide eyes. "What?"

"I know it might be difficult for you, but I need you to do this. Please, Zuko, it's important."

"But… But you said I'm not allowed to-" Zuko slammed his mouth shut, rattling his teeth. Even saying the word was forbidden.

Ursa got on her knees and put her hands on his shoulders. "I know, Love, I know. I did say that, and it's still important. This is a special case, an emergency."

"I… I don't know if I can…"

Zuko saw a tear form in the corner of his mother's eye. "I need you to try, Zuko. I really, really need you to try."

Zuko stared at the water. He'd broken his mother's rule many times by healing himself, but he'd never bent actual water. He didn't even know how. He stepped closer to the water and lifted his hands. His heart started to race.

Zuko thought about his mother's warnings. He remembered her telling him how dangerous waterbending was. He remembered her making him promise to never, ever do it under any circumstances. It occurred to him that she might be testing him, the way his father did sometimes. Perhaps she had found out about his disobedience and wanted to know the extent of it. She was asking him to bend to make sure he couldn't and had followed her instructions.

Zuko lowered his hands and looked at his mother. If she knew he had broken the rules, he needed to apologize. "I'm sorry, Mother. I'm really sorry."

Tears fell from her eyes. She reached for him. Zuko tensed for a slap. His mother had never slapped him before, but he had never disappointed her before. He disappointed his father all the time though and had received many slaps from him.

Ursa didn't slap him. She hugged him. "I love you so much," she told him. "Do you know that?"

Zuko nodded against her shoulder. Her hair smelled like lavenderrose. He breathed the scent in deep. "Yes, Mother."

"Let's get you back to bed." She took his hand and led him back to his room.

Ursa tucked Zuko into bed like she hadn't since he was a much younger boy. She ran her fingers through his hair. She kissed his forehead. She didn't seem angry at all. Zuko supposed that he must have passed the test.

"Zuko," his mother said.

Zuko yawned. He was tired. "Yes, Mother?"

"I have to go away for a little while."

Zuko frowned. "When will you be back?"

"I'm not sure. While I'm gone, you have to keep following the rules. No waterbending, ever, okay Zuko? I- I shouldn't have asked you to do it tonight. I was wrong. I'm sorry."

Zuko frowned. He felt a sensation of deep unease. Zuko knew that he always made mistakes; his father told him that often enough. Zuko had a feeling that he'd just made a huge mistake and he needed to fix it before it was too late.

"As long as you follow the rules, Zuko, you'll be safe. Promise me that you will never, ever, waterbend for any reason. It's so important, Zuko." She held his face in her hands and looked deep into his golden eyes.

Zuko understood. This was his punishment. His mother was leaving to teach him a lesson about listening to instructions. Once he'd gone long enough without waterbending, she would come back. He'd been weak, healing himself just because of a little pain. He wouldn't do it again.

"I'll never waterbend ever again," Zuko promised. "I'll be the perfect prince, you'll see."

She kissed his brow. "You already are," she whispered against his skin. Zuko realized that she was smelling his hair just like he'd smelled hers. "You are a fantastic prince and a wonderful son."

"Does that mean you can stay," Zuko asked. Perhaps leaving had just been a threat. Zuko had given the right answer, so maybe she could stay.

Zuko felt something wet. Tears were dripping from his mother's eyes onto his face. "I love you." She stood up, and she left.

In the morning, Zuko found out that his grandfather was dead.

…

Katara squirmed under the furs. Sokka kicked her shin. "Stop moving, Katara!"

"Kids," Hakoda mumbled. "Go to sleep."

"I can't sleep," Katara whined.

"Just close your eyes for a few minutes then," Hakoda suggested.

"But I'm tired," Katara complained. She was. She was exhausted. She hadn't slept in days.

"Then go to sleep," her father said, sounding exasperated. He didn't understand.

"The sun is out," Katara said, holding in a sob.

"Has been for weeks," Sokka said. "Did you just notice? We still need to sleep."

Katara sat up. She couldn't take it anymore. "I can't! I'm so tired, and I can't sleep! I just want to sleep!" She buried her face in her hands and started to cry.

Katara felt a comforting hand place itself on her shoulder. "Katara," her father said. "Get up."

She looked at him. She rubbed water from her eyes so she could see him. He didn't look angry or frustrated. He looked concerned. "Why," she asked.

"Let's go outside and talk about this so that the rest of the family can sleep."

Katara nodded. She looked at her mother and grandmother, both trying to get a few hours of rest during the Midnight Sun. Sokka had already fallen back asleep and was curled under Kya's arm. Katara got up and went outside. Her father followed her.

Once they were outside, she started ranting. "I'm not trying to be difficult! I really, really want to sleep! I'm so tired!"

Hakoda nodded. "Okay."

"It gets worse every year! The Midnight Sun won't let me sleep. It wants me to be awake. It wants me to…" Katara held out her hands and looked at them. "It wants me to make fire," she whispered.

Hakoda yawned, exhausted. "Okay," he said. "Let's go."

Katara tilted her head in confusion. "Go where?"

"We'll go to an ice field. You can make all the fire you want, and then maybe afterwards the Midnight Sun will be satisfied and let you sleep."

Katara sobbed some more. The exhaustion was pure anguish. All she wanted in the world was a few hours of rest. "What if it doesn't work," she asked as she shook with the force of her distress.

Hakoda reached out and squeezed her shoulder. "Then we'll try something else. I'm sorry you're so uncomfortable right now. I really think this might help."

Katara nodded. She followed her father to the ice field. When they stood in the middle of the field, they could see for miles and miles. She glanced at her father, unsure.

He smiled at her and nodded. "Go ahead."

"I've never… I've never tried to make a really big fire before."

"There's nothing out here to burn," Hakoda said. "You can make as big a fire as you want."

Katara bit her lip. "What if… What if you don't like it?" Hakoda often praised Katara's control over her fire. She heard the message in his words. She wasn't like other Firebenders, because she never let her flames burn anyone or get out of control.

Katara didn't feel in control in that moment. She worried that, if her father saw the full extent of what she could do, his opinion of her would change. She worried that her opinion of herself would change. She wondered, once she let go, if she would ever be able to regain control again. She might just burn and burn, until there was nothing left of her but ash.

"It doesn't matter if I like it," Hakoda said. "You need to do this. You're suffering. You need relief. Go ahead, Katara. I won't judge you."

Katara took a deep breath. She turned away from her father, so that he would be safe behind her. She felt the Midnight Sun soaking into her dark skin. She felt powerful. She felt so powerful. She took a deeper breath, and when she released it, it was fire.

She exhaled fire into the ice. She moved her hands and pushed fire into the ice. She kicked fire into the ice. She let go. She let the fire flow.

She tried things she had never done before. The strength was inside of her, and she used it. She punched flame after flame into the cold. She didn't stop until she collapsed to her knees, too tired to stay standing.

"Katara!" Katara flinched at the sound of her father's shout. She felt a sob build up in her, but she couldn't cry. She'd sweated away all of her water and was too dehydrated to make tears.

Strong arms wrapped around her. "Are you okay?" He sounded panicked, scared. She didn't want her father to be scared of her.

"Please don't be angry," she begged.

"I'm not angry." She felt a kiss press against her sweaty brow. "Just sleep, My Love. Just sleep." Katara closed her eyes, and she slept under the light of the Midnight Sun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remember, kids aren't always good at understanding what's going on around them. Ursa was trying to escape with Zuko, but alas, he didn't understand.
> 
> Reviews bring joy. Good, bad or indifferent, let me know what think.


	4. Family Matters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adults try to protect the children they love and fail, because the world is imperfect.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: so many warnings. Kya has to have the birds and bees talk with Katara, but because of the circumstances of Katara's birth, it takes a dark turn. There's also some racism in this chapter, which goes hand in hand with the colonialism. Seriously though, the first third of this chapter could be extremely distressing.

Katara sat cross-legged in front of the tub of water. She took a deep breath and put her hands on either side of the container. She exhaled, and she felt the water inside begin to bubble and turn to steam. She smiled to herself.

"Thanks, Sweetheart." Kya dumped their dirty clothes into the tub. "What would we do without you?"

Katara smiled at her mother. She looked at her hands. Her time at the ice fields had helped her a lot with strength and control. Her father went with her sometimes, but she was also allowed to go by herself as long as she told someone where she was going and didn't abuse the privilege. Katara was able to get at least a few hours of sleep most days.

"Is everything alright, Love?"

Katara hadn't noticed when her smile had slipped away. She met her mother's curious eyes. "I…" She bit her lip. Everything was going so well. She didn't want to ruin it.

Kya sat down next to her. "What is it, My Love?"

Katara leaned against her mother's shoulder. She knew that fire, and Firebenders, had hurt their tribe in a lot of ways. She knew her mother had been hurt by fire, even if Katara didn't quite understand everything about that situation. Yet, Kya always seemed to accept, and even appreciate, Katara's fire.

"You can tell me anything," Kya promised.

Katara smiled at her again. She trusted her mother. "Do you want to come to the ice fields with me," she asked. "Would you like to… watch me practice?"

Hakoda had promised he wouldn't treat or perceive Katara any different after seeing the extent of what she could do. He had kept that promise. Katara wanted to know if her mother would feel the same way. Katara wanted to make sure Kya wouldn't be horrified by her fire.

"Sure," Kya said without hesitation. "That sounds fun. When do you want to go?"

Katara shrugged. "After laundry?"

Kya agreed to Katara's idea. The entire time they worked on the laundry together, anxiety squirmed throughout Katara like a tapesnake. The creature's meteoritical fangs latched onto her heart and infected it with poisonous fear. Uncertainty twisted her guts.

"All done!" Kya grinned. "Let's go."

Katara tried to smile, but she couldn't get the shape of it quite right. On the inside, she was reproaching herself for being so stupid. They were having such a good day. Her mother was happy with her. She was risking everything.

Kya knelt down and put her hand on Katara's shoulder. "It's okay, Katara."

Katara wrung her hands. "Fire hurt you, right?"

Kya bit her lip and then nodded.

"That's why I'm a Firebender?"

Kya sighed. "Katara, when you're older-"

"But I am older!" Katara flinched at her own outburst. "People say things to me, and I don't understand them. Dad says he loves me and that I'm his daughter, but other people say that he's not really my dad, that my dad is evil and-"

"They shouldn't say that to you," Kya interrupted.

"But they do," Katara insisted. "I just want to understand."

Kya sat down and folded her hands in her lap. Katara mirrored her. Kya took a deep breath and then let it out slow. "Okay," she said.

Katara waited. Her mother looked like she was gathering her thoughts. Katara looked at her own hands while Kya prepared her words. She rubbed her hands together as if she were cold, which of course she wasn't.

"When two people love each other," Kya began. "There's a special thing they can do with each other to express their love." Kya gave Katara a serious look. "It's a grown-up thing, and it's never okay for kids to do. It's called sex."

Katara nodded. "Okay."

"Now, when two people are compatible in a certain physical way, sex can create children. Most men are compatible in this way with most women, although not always," Kya explained. "Do you understand?"

Katara bit her lip. "Yes?"

"Do you have any questions?"

Katara squirmed. "So, you and Dad love each other, and you had sex, and that's where Sokka came from?"

Kya smiled. "That's right."

"So where did I come from?"

Kya's smile vanished. "Sometimes people have sex even though they don't love each other, just because it feels good. Sometimes, someone wants to have the good feeling of having sex, but there isn't anyone around willing to have sex with them. When someone makes someone have sex with them that doesn't want to, that's called rape, and it's one of the most horrible crimes a person can commit." Kya's voice started to crack like a block of ice someone poured boiling water on.

Kya took a deep breath. Her calm demeanor had slipped away. Her hands were shaking, and her voice trembled. "When a person is… made to have sex even though they don't want to, it doesn't feel good. It hurts a lot. Some people enjoy hurting others in this way," she whispered.

Kya stared off into the distance. She looked like she was far away in her mind. A few tears escaped her eyes. Kya wiped them away and seemed to remember where she was. "People who enjoy hurting others in this way are some of the most dangerous people in the world. That is why, in our Tribe, rape is punished the same way as murder."

Katara looked away. For a long, long time, both of them were silent. Katara processed everything her mother had said. Babies were supposed to come from love, but Katara hadn't. She'd come from a crime.

"Katara, are you okay?" Kya sounded calm again.

Katara shook her head.

"Do you need a hug?"

Tears burned at the edges of her eyes. "You should hate me," Katara whispered.

"No, Sweetheart, I could never hate you. I love you. You are my daughter, and I-"

"How can you love me?!" Katara started to sob. "I'm only here because someone hurt you!"

Katara felt her mother wrap her arms around her. "I wanted to wait until you were older to explain these things to you," Kya said.

Katara shook with distress. "How would me being older help? I shouldn't be here at all."

Kya squeezed her tight. "Don't say that. Never say that. You didn't choose how you came to us."

"Sokka is here because you and Dad love each other. I'm here because someone hurt you. You have to love him more than me," Katara insisted. "That just makes sense."

"Oh, Katara." Kya rested her cheek on the top of Katara's head. "Can you keep a secret?"

Katara hesitated. "A secret?"

"Your dad knows," Kya explained. "No one else does, and they can never know."

"Okay."

"Your brother was a baby when the raid happened. When the man who hurt me came to our home, I could have fought back. I didn't though, because he threatened to hurt Sokka. I let him hurt me, because I wasn't willing to risk your brother being injured."

Katara was silent as she processed this new information. "But… It wasn't Sokka's fault. He was just a baby. He didn't know what was happening."

"You're right," Kya agreed. "It wasn't his fault. It wasn't your fault either. It wasn't my fault. It was the fault of the man who hurt me."

"But I come from him," Katara argued, still within her mother's arms.

"You come from me," Kya insisted. "I brought you into this world. I gave you life. Your father and I, we have loved you and raised you. We will continue to love and raise you."

Katara considered Kya's words. "Are you sure?"

Kya nodded, brushing Katara's cheek with her hair. "As sure as I am of anything in this world. I love our family more than anything, Katara. There is nothing that could ever make me stop loving you."

Katara felt the tears flow. "Promise?"

"I promise," Kya whispered. "I swear on my life. I swear by the Ocean and the Moon. I swear by our Tribe."

Katara nodded. "I love you, Mom."

…

Servants were whispering in the halls. Prince Iroh had returned. They wondered if he would challenge his brother for the throne. They wondered what he would do with the young prince and princess once he'd killed his brother. Zuko shivered.

Uncle Iroh looked different. His hair had gone grey. He had new wrinkles. His eyes were full of despair. Zuko wanted to run up to him and give him a hug.

Zuko and Azula stood next to each other as Iroh entered the throne room. Nobles and generals all stood with baited breath, waiting to witness the Agni Kai challenge. Iroh approached the throne and bowed as a prince should to the Firelord. "Firelord Ozai, I apologize for my long absence."

"We all understand that you needed time to process your grief, Brother," Ozai said.

"Yes," Iroh agreed. "Now that I have returned, I am looking forward to spending time with my remaining family. I am grateful to Father for, in his wisdom, passing the crown to you. I am also grateful to you for your selflessness in taking on that burden for the good of the nation."

Ozai grinned. "You are welcome, Brother. I see that you have gained great wisdom during your travels."

"I have," Iroh agreed. "It has been a long journey, though. If the Firelord does not have need of me, I would like to retire to my rooms and rest."

"Of course," Ozai said. "The servants will show you to your new quarters."

"I can do it, Father," Zuko piped up. He heard Azula stifle a giggle next to him.

Ozai frowned. "Very well."

Zuko grinned at his uncle. He was so happy to see him again, and he was overjoyed those treasonous servants had just been gossiping. Zuko waved at his uncle and led him out of the throne room. "I'm glad you're back," Zuko gushed.

Iroh gave him a sad smile. Zuko understood why the smile was sad. Zuko still missed Lu Ten, and Iroh was his father. Zuko knew Iroh had to miss Lu Ten even more.

"Thank you, Nephew. I am happy to see you again. It has been too long. You have grown."

Zuko's grin widened at that observation. "I've been practicing with my swords. Master Piandoa says I've made a lot of progress. He'll be so happy to see you again!"

Iroh looked at the ground. "Yes," he murmured. "I need to talk to him."

"Are you okay," Zuko asked. The second the words left his mouth, he felt stupid. Of course he wasn't okay. Lu Ten was gone. "I'm sorry," Zuko said. "I'm just making it worse, aren't I?"

Iroh looked up and frowned. "What do you mean?"

"I make everything worse," Zuko admitted. "Dad tries to be patient with me, but I just don't learn." Zuko felt a twinge of pain from the burn on his arm that he was allowing to heal the natural way.

Iroh shook his head. "You haven't made anything worse, Zuko. I am very happy to see you. I can promise you, your presence has done nothing but improve my spirits."

Zuko grinned. "Really?"

Iroh nodded. "Of course." He glanced behind them. "Zuko, where is your mother?"

Zuko's grin fell from his face. "She had to go away for a little while, but she'll be back soon." Zuko had almost used his healing last night. The burn had hurt so much, and he had reasoned that there was no way his mother could ever find out. He'd resisted.

Iroh frowned. "Where did she go?"

"I don't know," Zuko admitted. "She'll be back soon," Zuko assured Iroh.

Iroh hesitated, and then he nodded. "I see. Would you like to play Pai Sho with me?"

"Yes!" Zuko grinned at his uncle. Zuko knew he made a lot of mistakes, but his uncle was a very forgiving person. Zuko was delighted to have him back.

…

The Midnight Sun was high in the sky. Katara felt the familiar itch under her skin. She would need to visit the ice fields soon. She took a deep breath and let it out slow, releasing only air. She was in control.

Black snow landed on her arm, and she frowned. She knew she hadn't breathed any fire. There was no smell of smoke in the air. She looked into the distance. The Fire Nation was coming.

"Katara!" Katara turned and saw her brother running towards her. "Katara! Come on!" He extended his hand to her.

Katara took his hand. He led her back to the village, to where Kya and Kanna were already with all of the other women and children. Kanna pulled them both into a hug when she saw them. "We'll be alright," she assured them. "Your father will protect us."

The waiting was the worst part. They all had to be quiet. In the beginning, there weren't any sounds outside. Then, they heard the warriors shouting and the noises of combat. Katara hugged Sokka tight and buried her face in his chest.

Sokka patted Katara's back, and Kya kissed the top of her head. Katara could smell smoke. Smoke from the cooking fire was a comforting smell, but this smoke was different. It smelled like burning hair. There were murmurs of fear.

Katara screwed her eyes shut. Their homes were on fire. Their homes were burning down, and there was nothing Katara could do. Except, there was. Katara threw aside Sokka's arms and got to her feet.

"Katara, sit down," Kya begged.

Katara was already running out the door. The Midnight Sun was high in the sky, strengthening the Firebenders that were burning down the village. Katara was a Firebender too though, and she had been soaking in the Midnight Sun for weeks. She closed her eyes.

She felt the fire all around her, and she seized it. She grabbed the flames and spread them out, making them too small and weak to survive. She dissipated the heat into the air. She felt the power from those flames soak through her skin, and she accepted the warmth.

"Captain! Look!"

Katara opened her eyes. The soldiers and the warriors were all pointing their weapons at each other still, but they had frozen in the middle of combat. They were all staring at her. Then, a Firebender attacked. He broke away from the warrior he was facing and threw fire at her.

Katara seized control of the fire. It went to either side of her, like a river parting for a glacier. She held her hands up in front of her, ready to seize the next flame.

A soldier laughed. "It's just a mongrel. Men, take her."

The Midnight Sun beamed down on her. Katara saw her father. He raised his spear, and his aim was true. The point of the spear entered the neck of the man who had spoken. The fighting began again.

The warriors moved in front of Katara to protect her. Katara seized as many fires as she could, taking them from the benders who created them and giving them back to the Midnight Sun. She took the warmth and power for herself and sent whatever was left up to the sky. The Midnight Sun appreciated her offering. The Sun encouraged her.

"Retreat," Katara heard someone shout. It wasn't anyone she knew, anyone from her tribe. The person shouting was Fire Nation, and the people retreating were Fire Nation. "Get to the ship!"

There were no more fires being made for Katara to seize. The Midnight Sun was beaming, but Katara was exhausted. She fell to her knees. "Katara!"

Katara blinked. Her father was kneeling in front of her, holding her shoulders. She was grateful to him. Without his support, she would land facedown in the snow. "Dad?"

He hugged her. "Are you hurt?"

Katara shook her head. "I'm just so…" Katara didn't have the strength to say tired. Passing out illustrated her point well enough.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave a review if you would like. Good, bad or indifferent.


	5. Respect

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Honor thy Mother and Father, and the Spirits too. It's much easier to follow those rules when your dad isn't an abusive dickhead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think respect means something very different to Kya and Hakoda than it does to Ozai.

Katara woke up. She opened her eyes and saw her brother sitting next to her. Sokka let out a deep breath. "You're okay!"

Katara sat up and rubbed her eyes. "What happened," she mumbled.

"You went outside," Sokka said. "You weren't supposed to do that."

Katara nodded. She was starting to remember. She'd used the power the Midnight Sun filled her with. She'd been in control. It had felt good.

"Do you want some water?"

That question made her realize she did. She was parched. She gave Sokka an enthusiastic nod. When he handed her the cup of water she downed the whole thing at once.

"Wow. You were really thirsty."

Katara nodded. "Yeah."

"Are you still thirsty?"

She nodded again. He took her cup and refilled it. "Thanks," she told him before she downed that cup too.

Sokka shrugged. "It's my job to look after you. That's what brothers do." He frowned. "I wanted to go with you when you ran outside. Gran-Gran grabbed me tight and wouldn't let go."

"Good," Katara said. She didn't want her brother to get hurt.

Sokka frowned. "No, it isn't good. I'm supposed to protect you, Katara!"

Katara frowned and then looked at the ground. "Where is everyone?"

"There's a big meeting," Sokka said. "Dad, Mom and all of the Elders are there. Mom told me to look after you."

"Thanks," Katara repeated.

Sokka scooted closer to her and put his arm around her shoulders. "I wish she hadn't thought she needed to remind me. I'm your big brother. I'm always supposed to look out for you."

Katara smiled at him and threw her arms around him in a tight hug. "Love you, Sokka."

"Love you, Katara."

Katara felt warm and safe in her brother's hug. She sighed in contentment. She felt so lucky to have the family she did. A twinge of guilt ran through her. She knew that there were others who weren't so lucky.

Katara remembered the baby she had rescued from drowning. He'd been adopted by a mother who'd miscarried several times. Katara saw them together sometimes. She always looked at him with a mixture of resentment and resignation. Katara buried her head in Sokka's chest.

"What's wrong?"

"Why are you so nice to me?"

"You want me to be mean to you? I can do that, but you have to tell Gran-Gran and Mom that you said I could, or they'll yell at me."

"Sokka," Katara complained.

"You're my sister," Sokka explained, as if it were just that simple. Maybe it was. "I love you."

Katara hugged him tighter.

"Promise me something?"

"Okay," she agreed without thinking.

"Never leave me behind again. I'm your brother, and I'm a warrior of the Tribe. I have to protect you. If you're going to fight, then promise me that from now on we fight together, always."

Katara considered. "But Sokka-"

"You already agreed that you would promise," Sokka reminded her like the sneaky big brother that he was.

Katara sighed. "I promise."

Before Sokka could respond, the furs in front of the doorway were pushed to the side. Hakoda entered and smiled. "There's my two favorite kids in the whole world," he said in a deep warm voice, full of love. There was sadness in his eyes.

Sokka and Katara let go of each other. "How was the meeting, Dad," Sokka asked.

Hakoda sat down in front of them. "I have to tell both of you something." Throughout his speech, when he said things like "for the good of the Tribe," "keep the fight away from home," "alliance with the Earth Kingdom," and "listen to your mother while I'm gone," all Katara heard was "your fault, your fault, your fault." Katara felt like she couldn't breathe. "Katara?"

She blinked at him. "Don't go, Dad!"

Hakoda sighed. "Sweetheart, I-"

"I promise that I'll never firebend again! Please don't go!"

"If you stay here, Katara and I can help you fight," Sokka argued. "I'll train harder to be a better warrior. Katara is already a really good fighter. We can help."

Hakoda gathered them both into his arms and hugged them tight. "I love you both so much." Katara knew that was code for "no."

Katara hugged him back. He felt warm, strong and safe. "I'm sorry, Dad. I was just trying to help."

Hakoda looked at her. "Katara, you did help. You saved the village. You did your part for the good of the Tribe, like you always do. Now, I have to do my part for the good of the Tribe."

"Who will be Chief while you're gone," Sokka asked.

"The Elders elected for Kya to take my place," Hakoda said. "So you had better be respectful to her, or you won't just be grounded," he teased them.

"I'm going to miss you," Sokka whispered.

Hakoda kissed the top of his head and then kissed the top of Katara's head too. "I will miss you kids more than anything. I will think about you every night. If you look at the stars and think about me, you'll know that I'm looking at the same stars and thinking about you."

Katara hugged him tighter. She breathed in deep the scent of his furs. She wondered if it was possible to hold on tight enough and long enough to prevent him from leaving. It wasn't.

…

Zuko sat quiet and still, back straight, attentive. "This unit is comprised of fresh recruits that only just finished training. It's an entire battalion of non-benders, easily replaced." Zuko didn't say a word.

No one else did either. Not one of them protested. Zuko was horrified. He knew his father must be too. If none of the generals would speak up, then Zuko would have to. Zuko would show his father how loyal he was to their people.

Zuko jumped to his feet. "How can you say such treasonous things?! These soldiers love and defend our nation! We have an obligation to them! Their lives aren't Pai Sho tiles to be sacrificed on a whim!"

The Firelord stood up. "Prince Zuko, be silent!"

Zuko recoiled. That wasn't the reaction he'd been expecting. His father always told him he needed to be fiercer, bolder. Zuko had done that, but it seemed that he'd messed up again somehow.

"You have disrespected my general in my war council," Firelord Ozai growled. There was a moment of silence. "You have issued a challenge. You will have to defend your words in combat."

Zuko looked at his father, then the general, then his father again. "An honor duel?"

"You are not a Firebender," Firelord Ozai said, voice dripping with disdain as he once again reminded Zuko what a disappointment he was. "However, you seem to take great pride in being told you mastered playing with swords. Any Master may fight in an Agni Kai. The fight will be tomorrow at sunrise."

Agni Kais most often took place at sunset, when firebending was at its nadir. At sunrise, the general's firebending would be at its most powerful. Zuko glanced at the general. He was old. If Zuko was fast, he might be able to avoid all of his flames and get close enough to strike with his swords.

Zuko realized what was happening. His father was giving him an opportunity. His father approved of what Zuko had said and was rewarding him. By having Zuko duel a Master Firebender at sunrise, his father was giving Zuko a chance to prove that, even though he was a non-bender, he was as good as any Firebender. This was Zuko's chance to show his country that he was a worthy heir to the throne.

Zuko realized that several moments had passed while he worked through everything in his head. The room had been silent for too long. "Are you afraid, Prince Zuko," Firelord Ozai asked.

"I'm not afraid," Zuko said. "I will fight for my honor." He bowed to his father.

"Very well, you are dismissed."

Zuko straightened, turned around and walked out of the room. He was halfway down the hall when he heard someone running after him. "Zuko! Zuko!"

Zuko turned around. His uncle looked tense and unhappy. "I'm sorry, Uncle. I know I promised not to speak, but I had to. Didn't you hear that general's horrible plan?!"

Iroh nodded. "I did, Nephew."

Zuko opened his mouth to ask why Iroh hadn't spoken against the plan himself, but then he closed it. His uncle had his reasons for everything he did. Perhaps it had all been part of the test. It didn't matter.

"Zuko, dueling a Firebender when the Sun is high is dangerous. The flames will be strong. You aren't a Firebender. This is-"

"Master Piandoa told me that a Master swordsman can be as good as or better than any bender under the right circumstances," Zuko said.

"An Agni Kai arena under the fresh-risen Sun is not one of those circumstances," Iroh argued. "This is too dangerous. Zuko-"

"I'm not a little kid anymore, Uncle," Zuko interrupted. "I know you're just worried about me, but you don't need to be. I can do this. I'll prove to Father and our country that I'll serve them well as Crown Prince, even without firebending."

Iroh sighed. "You don't need to prove anything, Zuko."

Zuko scowled. "I do. A non-bender has never been Firelord before. I have to prove that I'm worthy. I have to do this."

"Zuko-"

"Thank you for your council, Uncle." Zuko bowed, straightened and then turned around and walked away.

Iroh didn't follow.

…

The Long Night was beautiful. When Katara was a little girl her firebending sometimes stopped during the Long Night. As she got older, Katara realized that it was more like her bending was taking a nap. Her power had grown, and she knew she could summon her bending if she really needed to, but she was content to let it sleep.

"There you are, Love." Katara looked over her shoulder and saw her mother approach. Kya sat down next to her. "What are you thinking about?"

Katara pointed at the stars. "Dad," she said.

"Ah," Kya said. She watched the stars with her for a few minutes. They were quiet, and it was peaceful. Katara leaned her head on her mother's shoulder, and Kya dropped her head against the top of Katara's. "You know, the Sun is a star."

Katara lifted her head and gave her mother a skeptical look.

Kya giggled. "It is."

"How," Katara asked.

"Long ago, far away, there was a great Tribe, a Tribe of stars. The Chief of the tribe had many children, beautiful, glittering, silver children. The Chief's youngest child, though, wasn't silver. She was gold."

Katara frowned. "The Sun is a girl?"

"Spirits can't really be men or women the way that people often are," Kya explained. "They are spirits. They're beyond gender."

Katara shrugged. "Okay."

"The Chief loved her little golden child, but she noticed that the youngest star, the Sun, wasn't always happy. The Chief of stars asked the Sun why she was unhappy. The Sun said that she felt different from her siblings. She wanted to be silver, like they were."

Katara frowned. "What did the Chief say?"

"She said, you, my little golden child, are as precious to me as any silver. You were given to me gold for a reason. One day, you will do great things. You will save our tribe."

"Did she," Katara asked with baited breath.

Kya nodded. "She did."

Katara grinned. "Can I tell you something?"

"Anything, you know that."

Katara remembered her sacrifices to the Midnight Sun. She looked up at the sky. "I think those Firebenders that attacked us forgot how to firebend," she said. She stared at the stars and wondered.

Kya gave her a confused look. "What do you mean?"

"They grab all the energy they can and make the biggest fires they're able, but that's not the right way to firebend. The Sun doesn't like it. When I firebend, the Sun gives me energy to make fire, and then when I make the fire I give some of the energy back. The Sun likes it when I do that. The Sun gives me even more energy because of that."

Kya stared at Katara for a moment. "When you honor the spirits, they will often show you kindness. If the Sun has given you gifts, never forget to be grateful and humble," Kya said in a somber tone.

Katara stared at the stars. "I wonder…" She closed her eyes and let the starlight slip through her pores. The stars were small, but there were multitudes of them. She held up her hands and exhaled. Each of her fingers produced a small, gentle, yellow light.

Katara grinned at Kya. "You were right! The Sun is a star." Katara inhaled and put the fires out.

Kya smiled at her. "It must be hard for the Sun, to have her children turn away from her teachings like the Fire Nation has. She's lucky to have a hard-working and respectful daughter like you. So am I." Kya kissed her cheek.

Katara grinned. The stars twinkled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please consider leaving a review if you would like. Good, bad or indifferent, all are helpful.


	6. Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes the people we love hurt us. Sometimes they help us heal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning for adults being shitty to the kids they're supposed to protect.

Katara closed her eyes. She could feel the fire from the smokehouse. It was low and strong, perfect. She reached for the fire below the stew pot. She lessened its heat. Their dinner wasn't going to evaporate away.

All of the fires in the village were in perfect balance. No one was going to freeze or burn. No food would be wasted. Katara exhaled and smiled. She felt good.

Katara heard an exasperated sigh. She opened her eyes. Kanna was standing over her with her hands on her hips. "There's chores to be done, Katara. Why are you just sitting here?"

Katara frowned. "I was…" She looked away. Sometimes, Kanna didn't like to hear about her bending. "I was just checking on some things."

"With your eyes closed?"

"I was meditating," Katara said. That was a mistake. Meditation was tied to bending.

Kanna frowned. "There's work that needs doing, and you're meditating? Your parents didn't raise a lazy daughter. You need to come help me finish sewing these parkas."

Katara felt a flare of frustration. "I'm not lazy. If you needed my help, all you had to do was ask. I can't read your mind."

"Well I'm asking now. Let's go, Katara."

Katara bit her lip. She got to her feet. She refused to allow herself to lash out at her grandmother. Katara knew Kanna loved her, even if she sometimes said or did hurtful things. She wasn't trying to hurt Katara; she was just trying to prepare her for life.

"No man will want a wife that needs to be told to do chores," Kanna lectured. "If you sit around meditating all day instead of doing the work that needs to be done, you'll never be offered a betrothal necklace."

Katara scowled. "Maybe I don't want one."

"Katara, don't be ridiculous. You can still get married. You don't look like an ashmaker, so any children you have with a member of the tribe will probably look fine. There is the bending, but you're the Chief's daughter, so I'm sure there will be a few men willing to overlook it."

Katara stopped walking. She stared at her grandmother in disbelief. She felt her eyes well up with tears. Kanna's words, spoken with such casual ease, had cut her to the bone.

Kanna realized she wasn't being followed anymore and turned around. She sighed. "Katara, don't be emotional. It's fine. Your parents will find a good husband for you. I'm only saying-"

"Is that all you think I'm worth?" Katara felt cold. She felt cold in a way she almost never did anymore. She felt cold in a way her firebending couldn't dispel.

Kanna frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Sokka can be a brave warrior that defends the Tribe, but I'll only have value if I get married and have children? Is that the sole way I can serve our Tribe?"

Kanna's face hardened. "Are you too good for that? I warned my son that he was spoiling you. I told Kya the same thing. It seems we don't listen to our Elders in this tribe anymore."

"I'm not spoiled," Katara insisted. "I'll do anything for our Tribe. I'll fight to my last drop of blood if I need to, just like Dad."

"You're almost a woman, Katara. You have to put aside such childish fantasies. You will serve our tribe by providing our warriors hot meals and our children warm breasts. You can't fight. That isn't our way."

The warmth of embarrassment rushed to Katara's cheeks. "That isn't fair! I can fight! I want to fight! When the time comes, I'll protect our Tribe!"

Kanna shook her head. "No, you won't. It isn't your place to do that. I don't know where you get such ridiculous notions. It must be your hot blood-"

"Stop it! Don't say that!"

"Don't tell me how to speak! You're acting like one of them! Sometimes, I don't know what to do with you, Katara! Your behavior is completely inappropriate!"

Katara wanted to scream at her grandmother. She wanted to rage and shout, but she knew no good would come of it. She thought about the control she had learned when she was making fire. Her anger was like fire. She couldn't let it control her. She had to control it.

"When you compare me to the people that have hurt our Tribe so much, it wounds my heart," Katara said with deep feeling. "I love you, Gran-Gran. Why would you say such things to me? Can't you imagine how that makes me feel?"

Kanna looked away, ashamed. "When I see you… doing those things. When I see you playing with fire… It scares me Katara. All I want is for our family to be safe and happy. Fire is dangerous."

"Fire can be dangerous," Katara agreed. "It's also necessary for life. Without fire we would freeze and starve. I only use fire for the good of the Tribe. Don't you trust me?"

"Fire grows," Kanna insisted. "Our Tribe thrived before the Firebenders came. Now we are a fraction of what we once were. You act like your fire is a gift, but it came to you from an act of evil. If you allow your fire to grow, it could destroy you and our entire tribe!"

Katara stared at Kanna. Her eyes burned, and her chest hurt from holding in sobs. Katara opened her mouth to shout, but then she slammed it shut. Katara turned on her heel and ran away.

"Katara! Katara!"

Katara ignored Kanna. She ran for the ice fields. She ran and ran, wishing the friction could dispel the cold in her heart.

…

Zuko gripped the handles of his swords tight in his hands. He took a deep breath. He knew that he could win. His father believed in him. He believed in himself.

Zuko didn't need bending. He had Master Piandao's instruction. The steel was a part of him. Steel came from fire. By mastering steel he had, in a way, mastered fire.

Zuko released his breath, slow. The gong sounded. The time for thinking was over. The time for action had come. Zuko turned around to face his opponent.

Zuko's heart stopped. He was confused. His father was standing in front of him. "D-Firelord Ozai?" Zuko's voice came out in a whisper, unsure. "I don't understand."

"It is time for you to defend your honor, Prince Zuko," Ozai snarled. His voice was like a serpent, slick and dangerous.

"I thought I would be fighting the general," Zuko whispered, still confused. He couldn't strike his father. Ozai's legendary mastery of firebending aside, Zuko couldn't bear arms against someone he loved. He couldn't risk hurting his father.

"You disrespected my general. You disrespected my war council. You disrespected my throne room. You disrespected me." Each accusation was like a punch to the gut. Zuko felt like an idiot.

"Fight for your honor, Prince Zuko." The Agni Kai wasn't a chance for Zuko to prove himself. It was just another punishment. Everything in Zuko's life was a punishment for the mistake he couldn't stop making.

"I- I can't." The swords slipped from Zuko's grasp to clatter on the ground. He didn't care. They didn't matter anymore. The audience was murmuring. Zuko didn't care about them either.

"You will fight," Firelord Ozai ordered.

Zuko got to his knees and bowed before his father. "Please Fa-Firelord Ozai. I meant you no disrespect. I am your loyal son."

Zuko heard footsteps approaching him. "Look at me," Ozai ordered.

Zuko complied.

It happened fast. Zuko looked up at his father, tall, imposing, furious. Zuko had made a mistake again. The strike was fluid, almost like water. It was a strange thought, and it was the last coherent one Zuko had for a long time.

The fire was intense. It ripped through the layers of skin and flesh on Zuko's face. His eye felt like it was boiling in its socket. Zuko had felt a lot of pain in his life, but that strike dwarfed everything that had preceded it. Zuko screamed.

Zuko screamed. He screamed. He screamed and screamed. At one point he tasted blood. His screams ripped up his throat. Someone held him down.

He wanted to beg for mercy, but his throat was too damaged. He reached out to push away whoever loomed over him, but his limbs were brushed aside as if they were nothing. He couldn't see. He couldn't hear. Pain overwhelmed all other sensations.

Zuko moaned. He opened one eye. Pain hit him like lightning. His one working eye roamed the room he was in. He was lost in a haze of confusion.

"Rest, Nephew, rest," a soft voice pleaded.

"Uncle," Zuko whispered with his broken voice.

"You'll be alright," Iroh whispered back. The words tasted like a lie.

"Where am I?" The air smelled strange, like chemicals from medicine but with salt and coal underneath. "What's happening?"

"Don't worry. Just rest. Here, drink some water."

A hand slipped under his head and propped it up. A cup was pressed against his lips. Zuko tasted cool water. He hadn't realized how thirsty he was until he tasted water. He guzzled it.

Water, Zuko realized. He was drinking water. Relief flooded him. All he had to do was reach out for the water. He could heal his ruined eye, and then the pain would go away.

Except, he couldn't. If Zuko healed his eye, he would be breaking his promise to his mother. She would never return. His uncle would report the miraculous recovery to his father, who would be suspicious and furious.

Zuko knew that his father had punished him for a reason. He didn't have the right to undo his father's work. He had to accept his father's judgement. Once his mother heard what had happened, she would come back. She would know that Zuko had learned his lesson and kept his promise.

"Do you want more water, Prince Zuko?"

"No," Zuko whispered. His mouth felt dry. His throat ached for water. "I'm not thirsty."

"Get some rest," Iroh asked.

Zuko complied.

…

Katara breathed in deep the warmth of the Sun. She tried to calm her racing heart. Her grandmother's words echoed in her head.

"Hey, Katara!"

Katara cracked one eye open. Sokka was standing there. "What?"

"What are you doing?"

"Meditating," Katara said.

Sokka sat down next to her. "It looks boring."

Katara opened her eyes all the way. "Did Gran-Gran send you to get me," she accused.

Sokka shook his head. "No."

"Did Mom?"

Sokka shook his head again. "Dad," he said.

Katara blinked in shock. "What? Dad's back?! When? Where?"

Sokka flinched. He looked stricken. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to imply… Dad's not back."

Katara glared at him. "What are you talking about then?!"

Sokka looked out at the field of ice. "Right before Dad left, he told me something. He said that Mom was going to do her best to take care of us, but she also has the entire tribe to take care of now. He said we would have to help her out by taking care of each other sometimes, and since I'm the oldest, I might have to take care of you a little bit more."

Katara scowled. "I can take care of myself!"

"I know," Sokka said with a shrug. "You don't have to though."

Katara looked away. She sighed. "Gran-Gran doesn't understand. Maybe I don't understand either."

"Understand what?"

"Fire isn't evil!" Katara threw her hands in the air in exasperation. "I know the Fire Nation is evil, but that isn't the Sun's fault. I work so hard to use my fire for good. I know that the only reason I have it is because…"

"Because of me," Sokka whispered.

Katara turned to face him. Her eyes went wide. "What?"

"I know it's my fault that Mom got hurt." Sokka looked down at the ground. "I heard her and Dad talking about it one time."

"Oh, Sokka." Katara reached for his hand. He let her take it. "I'm sorry. It wasn't your fault."

Sokka shrugged. "I know your fire isn't evil, Katara. You're different from the Fire Nation people, because you're Water Tribe. You come from Mom. You could never be evil. Nothing that is a part of you can be evil."

Katara squeezed his hand. "I think Gran-Gran wants me to stop firebending. I can't though. It's part of me. If I tried to give it up… I don't know what would happen, but I think it would be bad."

Sokka squeezed her hand back and nodded. "You don't have to give it up." His face lit up. "Hey! We should practice."

Katara tilted her head. "Practice what?"

"We should practice fighting. That way, if the Fire Nation comes, we'll both be prepared to fight them off. You can show me all of your cool firebending moves." Sokka bounced up and down in excitement.

Katara squirmed with discomfort. "I don't know, Sokka. What if you get hurt?"

"I won't," Sokka assured her. "You'll protect me."

Katara bit her lip. She took a deep breath. "Okay," she said. "Let's do it."

They got to their feet. "You need to have a strong stance when you're firebending," Katara said. "So you should try to knock the Firebender off his feet."

"Like this?" Sokka tackled her legs and sent her sprawling into the snow.

"Sokka!" Katara laughed. She grabbed a chunk of snow, compacted it into a ball and then threw it at him.

Sokka laughed as he dodged. Katara scrambled to her feet. Sokka created his own snowball and threw it at her. Katara blocked it with fire, turning it into harmless steam.

Sokka watched the steam evaporate away. "Hmmm," he said. "Impressive. How much snow can you melt? Could you do an iceberg?"

"I'm not sure," Katara said. She smiled. Her brother loved his experiments.

Sokka's face broke out into a grin. "Let's find out! C'mon, we gotta find a good one." He took off running.

Katara giggled and ran after him. She loved her brother.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please consider leaving a review if you would like. Good, bad or indifferent, everything helps.


	7. From the Ocean

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two strange boys from foreign lands arrive at the Southern Water Tribe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't believe I actually managed to get some writing done. I probably should have done some cleaning instead during the rare daylight hours I'm not at work. Oh well. Writing is therapy, right?

There was a boy. In an iceberg. There was a boy in the iceberg. Katara stared at him, at his pale, cold, frozen flesh.

"Katara, get away from him!" Sokka started to pull her back, but Katara shook him off. She stepped forward and reached for him. She put her hand on his neck. She didn't feel blood flowing under the skin.

Katara took a deep breath. She inhaled the Midnight Sun. She pushed warmth into the cold body. She kindled life inside him. The muscle in his chest started to pump.

The boy's eyes opened. "Closer," he whispered.

Katara leaned closer to him. He was so cold, but he was getting warmer. Something inside of him reached out to the fire inside of her. It accepted her warmth and grew and grew. "Will you go penguin sledding with me?!"

Katara had to laugh. "What?"

Sokka ran forward. "Get back, Katara. We don't know who he is. He could be Fire Nation!" Sokka gave the boy's pale complexion a suspicious appraisal.

"I'm not from the Fire Nation," the boy said. He rubbed his chest. "I'm from the Southern Air Temple." He started to look around. "Appa!" He crawled back into the half-melted iceberg.

Katara gave Sokka a confused look. Sokka scowled. "Let's go find Mom. She'll know what to do," he said.

Katara nodded in agreement. Then she crawled after the boy anyway. He was kneeling next to a massive furry beast. Katara had never seen anything like it before. The beast was still, and the boy was crying.

"No, no, no," he begged. "Not Appa, please, no. He's my best friend." The boy reached out and put his hands in the fur.

"I can help," Katara assured him.

The boy's head snapped up. He looked at her with wide, hopeful, grey eyes. "Please," he begged. "I need Appa."

Katara gave him an encouraging smile. She moved closer and put both of her hands on the creature. She closed her eyes and reached out for the life inside the creature. It was more difficult than it had been with the boy. There wasn't a spark in the creature reaching out for her fire like the one that had been in the boy. She pushed in warmth, and the beast opened its eyes.

"Ah! Katara! Stay away from it!" Sokka grabbed her arm and tried to pull her away, but she brushed him off.

The creature looked at Katara and opened its enormous mouth. It licked her, causing her to giggle. Sokka protested with great aggravation. Katara ignored him and pet the creature.

The boy threw himself at the creature, arms spread wide to give a big hug. He then hugged Katara. "Thank you so much! I'm Aang. You're amazing!"

Katara smiled at him. "Not amazing, just Katara."

"Katara," Sokka said. His voice was somber. "We need to tell Mom about this."

"Oh, alright." Katara smiled at Aang. "Would you like to see our village?"

"Yeah!"

…

Zuko lowered the telescope. The village was getting larger as they drew closer. Still, it was small, so small. Zuko doubted they would be able to put up much of a fight. That was good, he told himself.

Zuko touched the handles of his swords. The feel of the grips brought him comfort. He picked up a spear. He was ready. He would prove to his father that he was as good as any bender, by taking on the Avatar.

"Nephew," Iroh said in a soft, sad voice. "The Avatar hasn't been seen in a hundred years. The Southern Water Tribe has been raided repeatedly during that time. If he was there, he would have been found by now."

"I didn't ask for your opinion!" Zuko refused to turn his one good eye to his uncle. "He's here. I know he is. I will face him."

"Nephew-"

"I know you think I'm useless just because I'm not a bender!"

"I don't think that, Zuko. Nobody thinks that. Your skills with the blade are inspiring. You don't have to prove anything, not to me or anybody else."

"I do," Zuko insisted. "I will."

They reached the village. The bow of the ship slammed through ice and snow, breaking up the protections of the village and creating a path for them. The gangplank was lowered. Zuko stepped forward.

Zuko frowned. The village was empty. Wind chimes made of bone sang a haunting melody; it was the only sound. The fires were all out. A few dishes had been dropped next to dead fires as the people who had been using them had fled.

Zuko walked down the gangplank. Iroh followed him. Zuko stepped up to a firepit full of ashes. He put his hand inside. The ashes were warm. "They haven't been gone long."

"They must have spotted our ship and assumed we were a raiding party. They may have fled to nearby ice caves to wait out the raid," Iroh suggested.

Zuko scowled. "I don't want their useless peasant things! I just want the Avatar!"

"They don't know that, Prince Zuko," Iroh said in a patient tone that Zuko hated.

"They know where the Avatar is. I'm going after them!"

Iroh opened his mouth like he was going to protest, but then he closed it. "May I accompany you, Prince Zuko?"

"Only if you promise to stay out of my way."

Iroh bowed in acquiescence. "Of course."

They left the crew behind to guard the ship and set off. It wasn't hard to find the trail. Dozens of pairs of feet displaced a lot of snow. By the look of the marks, the villagers were slow. Zuko knew it wouldn't take long to catch up.

Before long, they came across a pair of old men, sitting in the snow. They both held sharp bone blades. They watched Zuko and Iroh as they approached. They didn't have any food or supplies with them, other than the knives they held and the furs they wore.

"Well met!" Iroh's cheer sounded hollow, even to Zuko's ears. "How fare you, friends?"

The first old man spat in the snow. "We are not your friends, Fire Nation."

Zuko scowled. "Where are the rest of the villagers?"

The men didn't answer.

Zuko glared at them. He raised his voice. "I said-!"

Iroh cut him off. "Perhaps we could offer our new acquaintances a hot cup of tea?"

"We don't have time for tea! I need to capture the Avatar!" Zuko turned back to the men. "Where is he?"

The men looked at each other with confusion. "What do you mean?"

"I know you're hiding the Avatar! Where is he? He'd be about your age. He's a Master of all four elements. Tell me!"

One of the men laughed. "The boy's gone mad with the Midnight Sun."

Zuko turned red. He put a hand on the handles of his swords. Iroh stepped forward, towards the men. They tightened their grips on their knives.

"We mean no harm to you or your people. As my nephew has said, we are just looking for the Avatar. If he is not with the villagers, then we will leave. We have no ill intentions."

They chuckled. "We are many things, but we are not fools. Age has slowed my body, but it has not slowed my mind. The little spark has come to spill blood and set fires."

Zuko sneered at them. "I'm not a Firebender. I don't need to be to take on whatever pitiful defenses your puny village can muster. I-"

"Zuko!" Iroh gave Zuko a solemn look. He turned back to the men. "We don't want to hurt you or-"

"Our lives have ended," one of the men assured Iroh. "We stopped here so that the rest of the village can move faster. We know you will cut through us as easy as if we were fresh snow, but if we can strike you even once, perhaps it will be enough to slow you down when you face our warriors. Either way, we have no supplies; we are already dead. Your intentions towards us are irrelevant."

Zuko looked away. He felt ill. "Let's go, Uncle."

"Zuko, these men will perish without aid. We should take them back to the ship and-"

"They won't accept our mercy, any more than you or I would accept mercy from one of them." The look on Iroh's face made it clear he didn't share Zuko's conviction. "The sooner we find the Avatar, the sooner the villagers can return home. If we're quick, they can get back here before their Elders freeze to death."

The quieter of the old men struggled to his feet. He gripped his knife with shaking hands. Zuko moved with a serpent's speed. He snatched the man's wrist, bending it just enough so that the man lost his grip, but not enough to break any fragile bones. Zuko caught the falling knife with deft hands.

Disarming the other man was just as easy. Zuko pocketed the knives and set forward. He didn't look back at the men who had been willing to die to delay him. "Let's go, Uncle!"

…

Katara watched Sokka climb down from the ice cliff. Kya stepped forward. "Do you see them?"

"There are two scouts. They're almost here."

"We need to cover our tracks," Katara said. "I can-"

"You and Sokka need to get inside the cave with the rest of the children," Kya insisted.

"But Mom," Katara protested, frustrated. "We can help. We can fight!"

"We can't," Kya said.

"There's only two of them," Sokka said.

"For now," Kya said. "More will come."

"Not if we take out the scouts," Katara insisted.

"Katara-"

"We can fight them! Sokka and I, we can fight! Mom, let us-"

"No!" Kya lost her composure. She had never shouted at Katara like that before, face twisted in anger. Katara took a step back, shocked. "I've already lost too much to those people! They can't have my children!"

Sokka looked between Katara and Kya. "What are we going to do, Mom? They're almost here."

Kya took a deep breath. "Sokka, you and your sister will wait inside with the children, the sick and the Elders. The rest of us will wait out here and surrender."

Katara stared at her mother without comprehension. "Surrender what? We don't have anything to give them. We already fled the village."

Sokka stared at his mother. He didn't look as confused as Katara. He looked horrified. "You can't!"

"Sokka, take your sister inside."

Sokka started to cry. "Mom! You can't let them hurt you again!" His chest started to heave with sobs.

That was when Katara understood. It all clicked into place. She felt like she was going to throw up. The Midnight Sun beat down on her, and her blood felt like it was going to catch fire at any moment. She turned away from her family. "I'm going to face them."

"You are not." Kya's voice was as hard as stone. "You are going to go inside and-"

"I brought them here! I was playing with that kid, and I tripped the flare! I'm going to fight them, and I'm going to win. If I don't, then I'll pay the price."

Kya grabbed Katara's arm. "Listen to me! You are a child! The punishment for being foolish and playing unsafe games is extra chores, not being tortured by soldiers! I will not let them lay a hand on you. Go inside!"

Katara stared into her mother's blue eyes. They were a raging sea of conflicting emotions. A wave of love slammed into a wave of rage. Fear, doubt, resentment and guilt all swirled together into a whirlpool of anguish. Katara shook off her mother's grip. She turned around and ran.

"Katara! Katara!"

The Midnight Sun beat down on her. Katara soaked in the rays. She ran and ran. The Sun followed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! Please leave a comment of you would like, good, bad or indifferent. I'm very behind at responding to comments, but I do read them all! They really help with my writing. :) Thanks!

**Author's Note:**

> You can go to  
> https://electronswrites.tumblr.com/  
> for more info on all fics.


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